and welcome to the first edition of Curated for 2024.
It’s hard to believe we have already wrapped up Easter! I’d like to thank you all for your continued collaboration and dedication through what was a very busy quarter for us all.
In this edition of Curated, we showcase some of the ways your suggestions through Voice of Supplier are driving improvements at Woolworths. Read on to learn about the Grocery Food Team’s updated data management process (pg. 39), which looks to improve data accuracy and speed to market in peak periods, like the upcoming range review. Plus, find out about the great updates and new features in Partner Hub, like the recently launched GTIN Search, providing you with a simpler, quicker way to do business with us (pg. 36).
As always, this edition features stories on a selection of our Trade Partners. Read on to find out how San Elk turned their homegrown business into a big success (pg. 8), with some great tips for Small Trade Partners. We caught up with the Nestlé team to highlight their award-winning sustainability initiatives, with details on their innovative approaches in the packaging, production and waste spaces (pg. 14). Plus, highlighting another Small Trade Partner, hear how Fix and Fogg have scaled up their business while retaining their humble methods to surprise and delight customers (pg. 18).
At the core of our business, we’re here to listen and learn from your insights so that we can be your most preferred Trade Partner. Many of you have engaged with Advantage who support us with our Voice of Supplier survey. In this edition of Curated, we get to know more about the research agency and hear about
work they do within the retail industry (pg. 22).
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We are always Customer 1st
We behave like business partners
We do what we say
We balance business sustainability & market competitiveness
We inspire and challenge each other to do better
We drive our business through the Merchandise Manager and Joint Business Plans
We make it right when we fall short
Q3 has seen a challenging start to the year as we continue to navigate cost pressures and bring value to our customers (we are also reminded of the resonance of collectable campaigns for some of our customers!). I’m feeling confident in our base trading plan for the rest of the year, along with the tremendous support we continue to have from our Trade Partners.
January saw a more significant change in behaviour, with customers pulling back on more non-essential spending. This presents an opportunity for us to work together to ensure that we continue to deliver value, particularly in the more challenged areas of the basket.
Continuing to feel household financial pressure with food prices remaining a key concern.
Increasingly looking for other attributes in addition to price within food products they buy.
Continuing to spend on Health and Fitness in the market and continuing to look for healthy food.
Prioritising essentials and experiences over things. Experiences and connections over food are expected to continue to be important.
Increasing spend at a faster rate in Convenience stores (+10%) and fast food and takeaway (+6%) vs Supermarkets (+2%).
* Source: CBAIQ credit card data & Internal Woolworths Customer data.
Our Category teams shared some more insight into this behaviour at their March Trade Partner Updates. The Category Updates are always an opportunity to hear the latest customer insights and how we are responding to these as part of the broader strategic direction for each of the categories, as well as highlighting some tactical areas for improvement. The updates give Trade Partners an opportunity to understand what our key priorities are to better meet our customer’s needs and hopefully help inform their sales and business priorities. The table below is a summary of some of the customer insights the teams shared and how we can work together to respond.
Ensure easy to find value and more tailored range options across VCU store clusters for customers.
Understand the value equation for your brands and what the price+ looks like across customers.
Continue to offer affordable health options to customers that are easy to find (e.g. Checkout, Gondola Ends, VCU) and identify (HSR 3.5+).
Ensure great communication to customers through occasions, events to (e.g. Big Night In, Dinner, Easter, etc.) and meals tailored by Customer Group.
Focus on expansion of ready meals/meal solutions/ easy recipes with customers as they continue to seek out convenience options.
Over the next quarter, all customer segments continue to cite the cost of living pressures as their dominant concern.
• 65% of Australians expect cost-of-living pressures to persist for the next 12 months
• 75% expect costs to increase in the next 3 months.
Attitudes to value and budgeting have shifted over the past year.
61% of Australians considered themselves price-conscious, versus 56% last year.
Our customers are employing various measures to manage their spend:
• 65% of customers actively search for deals and specials.
• 53% of customers price compare across retailers.
• 40% of customers use a budget.
• Savers (20%) and Conscious (17%) customers are the most engaged in using the App list function.*
*Source: Woolworths Internal Customer data
Helping customers as they battle cost of living pressures brought about by mortgage, rent stress, energy, fuel & insurance increases, along with food inflation (which thankfully is now moderating) is of utmost importance as we progress through 2024.
With ‘Better for our Trade Partners’ remaining a core pillar in our strategy, I’m pleased to see a Top 2 result of 59% achieved in Wave 46 of Voice of Supplier. We’re committed to actioning feedback received, whether we can enact immediate change, or make long-term improvements.
A recent example of changes we’ve made based on your feedback is range reviews. You have been telling us you wanted to have distribution results communicated earlier than the week before a POG goes live, and we’ve since worked on our systems and processes to make this happen. You told us you had concerns about range review timelines to meet market trends and demands, which prompted us to replace Minor Range Reviews with Range Refresh Reviews. A shorter, tactical review that enables speed to market for customers in line with the predetermined longer-term category strategy set in the previous Major Reviews. Good solid progress, with more to do and a wonderful opportunity to listen to what our customers are telling us, and working together to deliver on their needs.
Happy trading.
Regards,
Paul Harker Chief Commercial OfficerSupermarkets and Metro
This summer and festive season, set your brand up for selling success. The Trade Show is a unique opportunity to gain exposure and share your products with our team. Each of our Store Managers will be in attendance, as well as our Store Operations Team.
Best of all, we offer a range of packages to suit Trade Partners of all sizes.
If you’d like more information or to register your interest in this fantastic opportunity, hit the link below. We hope to see you there!
Learn more
Providing families with a better option for their health and wellbeing is the motto of San Elk, a Melbourne-based business founded by husband-and-wife duo Loredana and Arthur Rybka.
In their humble beginnings, the couple handcrafted small batches of their signature stock in their home kitchen for sale at local markets and grocery stores, with the goal of inspiring home cooks to unlock the full flavours of wholesome, homemade meals using natural ingredients.
“Cooking nutritious, healthy meals for our family is a big part of who we are,” Loredana told us.
“As passionate cooks who were dealing with food allergies at home, we discovered that the secret to making dishes that everyone could enjoy was in the quality of the ingredients that we chose to cook with.”
Local word soon spread about their products, which encouraged Loredana and Arthur to officially launch San Elk in 2017.
San Elk’s stock begins by procuring organic vegetables and meat from local farmers. These ingredients are then dehydrated and finely ground to maintain their nutrients, then blended with fresh herbs and spices for rich flavour.
When asked about San Elk’s values, Loredana commented: “At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that true flavour emerges from genuine, unadulterated, pure and natural food and ingredients.”
This philosophy is reflected in every aspect of San Elk, from their production process to their brand name - ‘San’ is a variant of ‘sans’ (meaning without) and ‘Elk’ symbolises the strength and beauty of nature.
Before taking the leap and approaching national supermarkets for a chance to be ranged, San Elk’s founders made some keen observations of Woolworths.
Loredana noted: “We loved the work Woolworths was doing in selected stores by providing customers with an extensive range of premium specialty, gourmet artisanal products, and recognised that partnering with Woolworths would be an amazing opportunity.”
San Elk’s partnership with Woolworths began in 2022 when they were selected to take part in the first cohort of the Seedlab Australia Accelerator Program.
During the Accelerator Program, participants receive extensive business support and training in various critical areas, as well as one-on-one mentoring, networking opportunities, and workshops. At the end of the Program, participants are offered a unique opportunity to present their products to Woolworths Category Managers in person at an exclusive expo.
Loredana reflected on San Elk’s expo experience: “I clearly remember when [Woolworths] shared the news that three of our most popular SKUs were going to be ranged. I had tears of joy… I couldn’t contain my excitement!”
Since that fateful day, San Elk have found that being a Trade Partner with Woolworths has broadened their accessibility to a larger customer base, as well as enabled new customers to discover their products.
In a highly competitive market, it can be a challenge for small producers to ensure their brand stands out on the shelf, but partnering with Woolworths has proven to be indispensable for San Elk.
We were delighted to welcome the Seedlab team back to our Norwest Office on Thursday 29 February to hold another Sampling Expo. The Expo featured 20 new businesses that have been working with Seedlab to start, scale, and grow towards national supply - businesses just like San Elk!
Fully funded by Woolworths, Seedlab Australia helps small businesses grow through training and support from industry experts, spanning across business strategy, production, range, distribution, and branding.
“Working closely with the team at Woolworths has provided us with invaluable insights into customer preferences and trends.”
“Working closely with the team at Woolworths has provided us with invaluable insights into customer preferences and trends” Loredana explained. “The Small Supplier Commercial Report keeps us updated on sales and performance, so we can tailor our offerings to meet customer needs.”
Their customer and what matters to them is a big focus for San Elk, who are progressing projects such as investigating how to create innovative products using food waste from local farmers, and aiming to make their packaging 100% recyclable and biodegradable while still maintaining freshness.
When we asked if San Elk had any advice for other Trade Partners, Loredana stated: “Meeting deadlines and delivering on time is of utmost importance. It’s what builds trust and reliability in our relationship and our brand.”
“We’ve found that effective communication with our Woolworths Category Manager is crucial for the success of a business supplying Woolworths. It’s important to share updates, address concerns, and nurture a strong relationship.”
The Small Supplier Commercial Report allows Small Trade Partners to drive more informed and constructive conversations with the Woolworths Commercial team, as it provides data insights at the product/ article level to allow better visibility of product performance in Woolworths across sales, units, and profit.
• User-friendly design for easy navigation and data interpretation
• Product-level insights to help you make data-led business decisions
• Performance of your products can be compared over a 4, 13 and 26 week period
• Data updated monthly
• Small Trade Partners who are eligible to register for the report must be:
– Currently trading with Woolworths
– Trading products other than fresh produce (i.e. fruit and vegetables)
– Registered as an Australian business
– Identified as a ‘small business’ on the Small Business Identification Tool
– Earning less than $10 million in annual revenue
The report is available for suppliers to access via the Quantium portal.
Suppliers can reach out to supplierconnect@woolworths.com.au to register.
“It is valuable that the Small Supplier Commercial Report tells us how we are tracking against the hurdle rate commitment; it is really useful. Thank you for making it available to us!” – Ambika
Spicecraft makes a range of traditional Indian cooking kits to help people make beautiful authentic meals from scratch, arranged in the Asian Food Isle.
Ambika was very excited when the Small Supplier Commercial Report went live and free for the first year, as Spicecraft could access data at product level that helps them have informed conversations with their Category Manager.
The report provides them a full view of the product performance; Ambika also finds it very useful to see the trends in terms of unit sales, dollar value sales over the period of time, and see the granular article level data.
Ambika (Spicecraft)
Woolworths longstanding Trade Partner, Nestlé, was recognised at the 2023 Trade Partner of the Year Awards for their continued innovation and commitment in the sustainability space.
The Better Tomorrow Award celebrates sustainability best practices and innovation in the Woolworths supply chain. The Award gives us the opportunity to recognise the outstanding performance of our suppliers, aligned to the three pillars of our Group Sustainability Plan 2025 –People, Planet, and Product – which are anchored in our purpose to create better experiences together for a better tomorrow.
Nestlé's initiatives that led to this win showcase a holistic approach to building regenerative food systems, creating a blueprint for a better tomorrow.
" Nestlé is looking holistically at how we can build regenerative food systems: through our products, through the way we engage with the communities where we live, work and source our raw materials, and in considering our impact on the planet."
– Iain Shedden Nestlé Sales Director, Oceania
Woolworths and Nestlé’s partnership spans over a century, bolstered by a shared commitment to creating positive change. As one of Woolworths’ biggest Trade Partners, a shared focus on sustainability is as evident. Both companies aim to build a better future through a just transition to a low-carbon economy, while ensuring the nutritional value of their products aligns with Australians' dietary needs.
This long, shared history sets the stage for an enduring, fruitful partnership. With both parties individually progressing matters that extend beyond the products on the shelves at your local Woolworths store.
“We share a strong focus on sustainability with Woolworths; building a better future built on a just transition to a low carbon economy, as well as ensuring the nutrition of our products is carefully considered for the right place in Australians’ diets. The clear reward to a strong partnership with Woolworths is the ability to communicate this to a large consumer base, driving this transition at scale and at pace. At the same time, we have to be mindful that our focus areas are not always the same, or that they are prioritised differently. There will always be a need to work together to understand how best to navigate through this challenge.”
– Iain Shedden Nestlé Sales Director, Oceania
One of Nestlé's standout initiatives is its extensive overhaul of packaging to make it recyclable, significantly reducing the reliance on virgin plastic. An inspired act of innovation followed, with the team introducing soft plastic packaging made with recycled content, a pioneering move in the Australian market.
The Gympie factory, home of Nescafé, stands as a model for sustainable efforts. Since 2021, the factory has not sent any waste to landfill - with not even one redlidded bin on site! The facility also operates on 100% renewable energy, including energy derived from waste coffee grounds, sawdust, and wind. The factory's watersaving project, cutting water use by around 20%, demonstrates Nestlé's commitment to sustainable practices in manufacturing.
A notable project in Nestlé's sustainability portfolio is its reforestation program. A collaboration with Greening Australia, One Tree Planted, and Canopy, the program aims to plant ten million trees in Australia. Having already planted more than one million trees under the initiative, the carefully curated mix of native species supports biodiversity, improves water quality, and restores degraded soils, aligning with Nestlé's vision of creating a positive impact on the planet.
Looking ahead, Nestlé has ambitious aspirations and goals. The focus remains on reducing virgin plastic, exemplified by recent product launches with significantly reduced plastic packaging. Nestlé is actively working with New Zealand suppliers to support dairy farmers in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as part of their goal to reduce
emissions by 20% by 2025. The company’s long term targets are to reach a 50% reduction by 2030, and net zero by 2050 at the latest. Initiatives include prioritising sourcing from environmentally conscious farmers, providing technical support, and paying a premium for sustainable practices.
A brand built on sustainability, great-taste, and innovation –Fix & Fogg have their sights set on becoming a household name. Now with their range of natural nut-butters journeying from the shelves of Woolworths stores into pantries all across Australia, only a short sprint lies ahead.
Thebirth of the Fix & Fogg brand is a tale inspired by adventure and literary charm. Drawing from Jules Verne's classic novel, Around The World In 80 Days, the founders saw their muse in the characters Phileas Fogg and Detective Fix. This spirit of adventure and excitement laid the foundation for a brand that sought to be new, different, and full of unexpected plot twists.
The name Fix & Fogg not only reflects the company's origins, but also encapsulates the essence of their entrepreneurial journey. Following the launch of their newest innovation, the better-for-you ‘Real Chocolate Nut Butter’ spread, we sat down with CEO and Co-Founder, Roman Jewell, to explore the brand’s journey from its humble origins in his own kitchen, through to the fast-growing triumph it is today.
Thanks for joining us Roman. Fix & Fogg have now been a Woolworths Trade Partner for some time. As you’ve grown, how has the partnership developed over the years?
Roman: Initially, we started with only two Fix & Fogg products in store to test and learn. Now, we have a deeper footprint with up to ten nut butters on the shelf, exclusively available in Woolworths. We love being able to bring something special and exciting to Woolworths’ customers.
From that first small step, a big congratulations is in order. Fix & Fogg received Woolworths’ 2023 Small Trade Partner of the Year Award. As a small business, can you tell us about the rewards and challenges faced in such a large arena?
Roman: Last year’s award was a big milestone for Fix & Fogg. In many ways it puts us on the map and shows that we’re doing all the right things; from production, to supply, partnerships, and sales.
There are always challenges to operating a food business, no matter the size. Being small has its own quirks; we only have a small team here, so we often need to wear many hats (myself included). But this aspect also lets us lean on some of our core strengths; to be nimble, exciting and hands-on in our approach to working with our retailers.
What’s been the biggest lesson on your journey with Fix & Fogg so far?
Roman: Growing from farmers markets into supermarkets has taught us lots, many things on the fly. With growth comes all sorts of tough ‘lessons’ — from purchasing machinery, managing production capacity, cashflow, forecasting, and more! While at times it can be stressful, these sorts of challenges can also present opportunities to expand into new markets and innovate new products.
One of our biggest lessons has been to centre on our core values, which we’ve always said should remain static despite
any growth. Principally, the quality of our products can never slip, and the charitable work we do with food banks and women’s refuge centres should always remain in our DNA. I’m proud this has continued over our ten-year journey.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for Fix & Fogg? Any other exciting products or projects in the pipeline?
Roman: As both a CEO and founder, I find my role incredibly rewarding. I feel genuinely lucky to be steering this peanut butter ship and to be working with such great people. For now, we have our work cut out in Australia, building loyalty with Woolworths’ customers and improving our brand awareness, so that is going to keep us occupied for a while yet.
As a Trade Partner yourself and off the back of your accolade, do you have any advice you’d like to share with our broader readership?
Roman: In Fast Moving Consumer Goods, our community is only as good as the energy we as suppliers or as Trade Partners put into working with or helping each other - whether our businesses are directly related or not. While we’re headquartered in New Zealand, we place a big emphasis on having face-time and transparent dialogue with our Australian distributors, whether it's discussing a potential new product or a supply challenge.
Our newly launched product, Real Chocolate Nut Butter is the direct result of rising to the challenge set by Woolworths' Category Team. I’d always welcome the conversation and the sharing of ideas and feedback.
Established in Canada in 1988, Advantage Group International set out to deliver world-class engagement solutions that bridge the gap between listening and responding, in order to help strengthen business partnerships between retailers and suppliers. Today, they are recognised as a leading global advisor in B2B engagement, with operations in over 40 countries.
We sat down with Alice Hutchin, General Manager and Director of Global Retailer Development at Advantage Group, to help our Trade Partners understand how providing feedback in the Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program makes a genuine impact.
Welcome Alice. Can you share why Advantage Group started the Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program?
Alice: Advantage Group commenced operations in Australia in 2008, which is when our foundational program, the Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program, was first introduced in this market.
The Program was designed as a way for both retailers (Voice of Customer) and Trade Partners (Voice of Supplier) to provide 360 feedback on areas related to their business engagement and provide benchmarking results versus their peer set within the Industry. The primary objective of all of our programs is ‘to help people and organisations work better together’.
With the Program being run by an independent research company, we can provide objectivity to the results and insights and importantly, ensure the confidentiality of participants.
What is the difference between the Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program and Woolworths Supermarkets bi-monthly Voice of Supplier surveys?
Alice: Advantage Group has been partnering with Woolworths Group for over 14 years on various supplier engagement programs, two of these are the Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program and the Woolworths Supermarkets bi-monthly Voice of Supplier Program.
The Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program is a deep-dive benchmarking survey conducted once a year, where Trade Partners provide feedback on their engagement across 20 retailers in the total market. The Woolworths Supermarkets bi-monthly Voice of Supplier Program acts as a more frequent ‘pulse’ of feedback throughout the year, and is specific to Woolworths’ Trade Partner base. This program provides Woolworths with an ongoing view of feedback and insights enabling them to action throughout the year.
How is the Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program scored?
Alice: The Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program is researched on a 5-star rating scale.
Each star rating from 1 to 5 is then converted to an Advantage Score which ranges from lowest (-100) to highest (+100).
The Advantage Score is then applied to the benchmark set to determine ranking with a peer set of companies (top tier, mid tier, lower tier).
In addition to quantitative ratings data, we collate qualitative verbatim commentary from interviews to provide further context to scores and sentiment.
What are the benefits that Trade Partners can see in providing feedback through the Program?
Alice: The Advantage Annual Grocery Industry Voice of Supplier Program is designed as a 360 feedback engagement program. It provides a way for both parties to give honest and open feedback to their partners through Advantage Group, an independent research company.
The program enables both Woolworths and their Trade Partners to share their thoughts on what is working and what could be improved, with the ultimate objective to strengthen their joint partnerships further.
When Trade Partners provide feedback specifically on Woolworths through Advantage Group’s Program, the data and insights we share enables Woolworths to:
– Understand our current position with Trade Partners, objectively and in context.
– Identify strategies to fix problems and leverage strengths.
– Highlight where we are viewed as best-in-class or have the opportunity to improve.
– Evaluate issues and opportunities identified in order to seek necessary support.
– Foster greater collaboration and alignment with our trade partners.
– Set KPIs and build action plans to achieve objectives.
How has the Australian grocery industry evolved since the Program’s inception, and how has the Program adapted to these changes?
Alice: Operating in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry means that we are always looking to ensure the Program is reflective of the ever-changing retail environment, and how that influences relationships between retailers and their Trade Partners.
The Australian grocery industry has evolved significantly over time, most notably in the areas of changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and competitive pressures. Perhaps most recently, events such as COVID-19 and evolving customer behaviour has resulted in a greater focus on skills and capabilities in the areas of digital, ecommerce, retail media, supply chain and sustainability, to name a few.
We factor in all of these dynamics in how we review and shape the Program year-onyear. Additionally, various aspects have been introduced to the operational elements of the Program to improve the user experience and the look and feel of the interface.
Results and insights [anonymised] are initially presented to Woolworths Supermarkets Senior Executive and Group CEO. Priorities are set at the topline and are then disseminated, first at a category level, and then to commercial teams and group partners. At any point, and from every meeting, action plans are built out for the total group, category, or eco-system partners to respond to.
The Advantage Group provides guidance from the insights received and interviews conducted.
They help determine areas where Woolworths should leverage, accelerate, and improve.
Each verbatim is read, and action plans are developed for key-themed issues. Our planned actions are communicated regularly through our channels, such as Category Updates, Business Updates, Trade Talk, and even in Curated .
The survey is conducted by a third party researcher, as it is key for objectively identifying common sentiment. Woolworths encourages Trade Partners to participate in the survey to strengthen our overarching ways of working together, and also continue to direct everyday correspondence and specific feedback to Woolworths internal teams.
The co-founder of Woolworths’ longstanding charity partner, PanKind has been recognised at this year’s Australia Day honours.
Caroline Kelly AM has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community through awareness and research funding for pancreatic cancer.
research since it began in 2014, and has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $1,950,000 for this year’s event.
“It is exciting and great news for Caroline, and the strong partnership that Woolworths has with PanKind. Woolworths has partnered with Caroline since the inception of the Avner Foundation (now PanKind) over a decade ago, raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer research,” said Woolworths Managing Director of Property, Ralph Kemmler.
“Our partnership continues today with Woolies Wheels and Walks playing a vital role in raising much-needed funds for PanKind and its mission to improve outcomes for Australians impacted by pancreatic cancer.”
The Woolies Wheels and Walks initiative is a fitness-based charity challenge that has raised over $1,000,000 for pancreatic cancer
“Our partnership is one of the most significant for pancreatic cancer research funding in Australia, enabling many promising projects with the objective of achieving scientific breakthroughs” remarked Pankind CEO, Michelle Stewart.
“We are confident that with increased focus and funding for this disease, we will see much-needed improvement in survival and quality of life for patients.”
You can find out more about this year’s Woolies Wheels and Walks event here.
As shared in early February, we are a member of the Soft Plastic Taskforce (comprising of Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi) and announced the Soft Plastics Recycling Trials which commenced across 12 Melbourne supermarkets on the 7th of February.
The Trial offers soft plastic collection points at five Woolworths Supermarkets, as well as five Coles and two ALDI stores-all in Victoria, as a key first step towards rebuilding a national soft plastics recycling system.
In the first half of 2024, new capacity in soft plastic recycling facilities by CRDC and Close the Loop will mark the first meaningful increases in local recycling capacity since the collapse of REDcycle. This new capacity is enabling the Taskforce to launch the Soft Plastics Recycling Trial.
The soft plastics collected through this Trial will be transformed by our processing partners into various products, including an additive for asphalt roads, a replacement for aggregate in concrete, and a material for making shopping trolleys and baskets.
A lack of specialised soft plastic recycling capacity in Australia was the catalyst behind REDcycle’s stockpiling and ultimate collapse, resulting in in-store collections being suspended from November 2022. This Trial will help test and fine-tune processes on a small scale, and will ensure that the future in-store soft plastics collection and recycling program is one Australians can trust.
We look forward to sharing progress on the Trial and readiness for expansion in due course. For more information see the FAQs.
Plastics and packaging are top sustainability priorities for our customers and communities; and are areas where all brand owners can help by making product packaging easier for customers to recycle at home.
How can Trade Partners support a circular economy with sustainable packaging?
– Considering Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) membership.
– Working towards the National Packaging Targets (NPTs).
– Utilising the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL).
Where ARL is displayed on pack, we encourage you to provide back/side of pack product images. We have updated our Product Information & Images Digital Guidelines to allow the ARL as a specific product image for products that feature it on pack, to highlight the ARL for online customers.
For packaging resources, please visit PartnerHub or read the Trade Partner communications issued in February.
If you would like to discuss further, reach out to supplierengagement@woolworths.com.au to be connected with our Commercial Sustainability team.
Delivering on our commitment to make it easier for customers to recycle, the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) is now on 100% of our supermarket own brand packaging artwork, totalling more than 8,000 products.
This milestone was achieved for Australia and New Zealand in line with our target date of December 2023. The updated packaging will continue to flow onto our shelves, with some items without the ARL still appearing in stores until sold through to avoid waste. We are also on track to achieve 100% ARL for our BIG W 2025 commitment.
Click here
Australia’s largest food relief charity, Foodback, unveiled Fruit Loop, a new corporate fundraising challenge. On March 1st, some of the biggest companies in the country met at the Montague Orchard in Narre Warren to battle it out in an apple picking and fundraising contest.
Woolworths were represented on the day, with Tyler O'Neill, Qais Dehsabzi, Jennifer Thomson, and Eduardo Pena from the Fruit and Veg Commercial team flying the green flag under the ‘Woolies Fruit Loops’ banner. Their goal? To help pick 50,000 apples in one day, and raise thousands of dollars for food-insecure families. After a fervent day in the field, we caught up with the Woolies Fruit Loop, as they reflected on the experience.
Q: Hello team! What a fantastic initiative to get behind. How did this all come together, and what drove the Fruit Loops to participate?
Jennifer: Woolworths sells the most apples in Australia (at more than 56 million kilograms per year!), and has long-standing relationships with Foodbank and Montague; it just made sense to want to be involved!
Foodbank Victoria provides much-needed food and meals to over 500 charities within Victoria, and it felt good to be able to contribute, in our small way, to their great efforts.
While Australia is one of the strongest economies in the world, the reality is that approximately 15% of Australians have experienced food insecurity at least once in the last 12 months. This challenge felt like a way that we could "bring a small good" to people in need.
Q: How much was raised, and do you know how many apples were picked?
Tyler: The total event raised $90,000 and in excess of 50,000 apples were picked on the day. Our team itself picked more than 5,500 apples on the day!
Q: That’s a lot of apples! It must have been quite the experience. Would you do it again?
Qais: The experience was both fulfilling and humbling. It felt satisfying helping contribute to such a good cause, but it also made us stop and pause to think about why these events need to take place.
To hear the stories of how many Australians struggle for basic necessities everyday was very sobering. It's a big societal issue that really shouldn't exist in a country, and world, that has so much. For those reasons, I would definitely do it again and I'd encourage as many people as possible to find their own way to also assist.
Q: As a Woolworths employee, you’re obviously familiar with the supply chain and the enormous effort that goes into stocking the shelves. Did you learn anything about the Trade Partner side of the process you didn’t know before?
Eduardo: Yes! Picking fresh fruit is one of the first steps in a large, long operation that leads to our customers seeing that fruit on the shelves. Many lessons were learnt! We didn’t realise how big a part birds and wildlife can play in damaging a crop, and while we knew bad weather can wreak havoc when it comes to growing fruit, it’s got a huge impact on fruit picking. Of course, we also learned a lot more about the technique and standards required to harvest, pick and pack fruit, for current and future crops.
Q: I don’t doubt it! And a final word, if you will?
Jennifer: It was a great event, and one I would encourage Woolworths to continue participating with in future years. The event raised a lot of much-needed funds and food supplies.
Knowing that every apple that we picked was going to go directly to a person or family that really needed it made the event so special; you can really see and feel the positive impact on someone's life.
Health is a priority for our customers and a key part of Woolworths strategy. Merchandise Manager for Health and Wellness, Thinesh Santhiragasan, is the Commercial lead for Healthier Choices, working to enable healthier choices for our customers.
Thinesh shared about his role, “My focus is on delivering programs of work that assist customers to make healthier choices. This includes the evolution of our checkouts, where we’ve dedicated 80% of linear space within food to healthier choices; our Healthier Ends, where our Grocery Food Promo Ends now contain a shelf of healthier products, and the activation of healthier choices through our promotional programs.”
According to Thinesh, partnering with our Trade Partners is crucial to enabling progress towards our goal, with every aspect of the commercial process having the opportunity to contribute towards this goal.
On the active support from Woolworths Trade Partners, Thinesh said, “We’ve seen an increase in healthier product innovation
in many categories, as well as Trade Partners working to reformulate products that customers know whilst maintaining product quality.”
Thinesh adds: “The growth in adoption of Health Star Rating (HSR) has also been great to see, and we know many Trade Partners have committed to adopting HSRs on pack. Our customers want to see more HSRs on pack and online across all food and drink categories, to help them make more informed choices.”
Now in its third year, the Trade Partner Sustainability Council for Healthier Choices has proven to be a great way to engage, share priorities, and understand both the barriers and enablers for change.
And through our Council Showcases we've used case studies to share Trade Partner journeys, successes, and learnings to inspire change.
Trade Partners are encouraged to continue engaging with us on healthier choices.
Supporting our customers to make healthier choices is ever-important in the face of cost-of-living challenges. Woolworths encourages adoption of the Government’s voluntary Health Star Rating (HSR) system, to help customers make informed decisions.
Our research* shows that around 95% of customers are aware of the Health Star Rating system, and around 85% of customers use it. Customers however are dissatisfied with the amount of products displaying HSR, with the majority of customers wanting to see HSR on more products, and many customers wanting to see it on all relevant products.
Woolworths displays the HSR on 100% of Own Brand products in intended categories. Currently HSR is displayed on around 25% of SKUs (which contribute 37% of sales) of vendor-branded products in intended categories.
This represents a large opportunity for increased uptake to contribute towards the Government’s uptake targets, and towards our customers’ expectations.
To allow online customers to discover your range through our HSR filters and Healthier Options digital tools, we encourage all of our Trade Partners to consider displaying HSR on pack, and to share this information (along with other health attribute data) in our systems or via third party providers.
While on-pack display is a priority, we recognise there can be a long lead-time between a decision to display and new artwork landing on-shelf. We are working on system enablement to allow Trade Partners to provide permission for their products’ HSRs to be displayed to customers in online shopping and in marketing materials when not on pack, in line with new Government guidance.
We will communicate further when this opportunity for data sharing is available to Trade Partners, and in readiness, we encourage Trade Partners to consider whether to take up this option and to prepare their HSR data.
*Source: Trade Partner Sustainability Council Research, Wave 2. Fifty Five Five. Nov, 23. n=1083
To support our goal of growing the proportion of sales from healthier products, we encourage our Trade Partners to look at how your portfolio of products could evolve to offer more great healthier choices to our customers.
Woolworths defines healthier products as those with a Health Star Rating (HSR) of 3.5 or higher. Our insights show that customers continue to seek a wider range of healthier options across all categories. This can come from new healthier product innovation, or from reformulation of existing products where customer appeal can be maintained.
We have been thrilled to see great new healthier products landing in stores, as well as product reformulations to improve healthiness across many categories.
We encourage Trade Partners to review guidance on Partner Hub to inform a review of your portfolio, and to consider alignment to the Government’s Healthy Food Partnership Reformulation Program’s voluntary targets in relevant categories.
Category teams now have access to a suite of insights that will assist in understanding the healthiness of their portfolios. This will help surface opportunities to move towards our health goals.
In the coming months, health insights will be included as part of the Supplier Scorecard in Supplier Connect, to help Trade Partners better understand how they sit relative to others in the category. Healthier choices will also become more prominent as we evolve our Joint Planning approach to focus on this key strategic area.
Portion and serving sizes are important tools to bring awareness to the overall intake of energy, and the consumption of nutrients of concern. For discretionary foods, changing or influencing the advice on pack can help improve customers’ health outcomes.
Serving size is a standard quantity measure, such as listed on the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP), or the ‘amount offered’.
– ●The Department of Health and Aged Care’s Healthy Food Partnership have developed an Industry Guide to Voluntary Serving Size Reduction, which targets eleven discretionary food and beverage categories.
– ●We encourage Trade Partners to review and consider aligning to the guidance if their product line includes: cakes, muffins, slices, chocolate confectionery, ice cream, frozen desserts, savoury pastry products, or sweet biscuits.
A portion is the amount of food eaten at any one time/sitting or the ‘amount consumed’, and is at the discretion of the consumer.
●Our research shows that customers are looking for help to manage their portion sizes, so we encourage Trade Partners to consider mechanisms to influence portion size for discretionary foods.
This may include visual guidance on pack about recommended portions, preportioned products, resealable packaging or mechanisms to educate customers on how to extend the consumption over multiple sittings.
“The category collection research from Cartology unlocks greater customer insights for our Trade Partners. These greater customer insights support better discussions between Trade Partners, Cartology, and the Woolworths Commercial team, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders and most importantly, for our customers.”
– Barry O’Leary, Merchandise Manager, Drinks and Snacking
Cartology’s Category Collection is a national customer research program, developed to dive deeper on customer motivations as they shop.
Through the Woolworths Gather panel, we spoke to thousands of Australian grocery customers across five key categories to understand their purchase drivers, shopping behaviours, and engagement with retail media along their shopping journey.
6,020 Snacks customers told us:
Taste and quality trump price
Taste and quality are the top purchase drivers in the snacks category, ahead of price.
Snack purchases are planned
3 in 5 snack purchases are planned, with savoury purchases like crackers and chips the most likely to be planned.
Snack consumption is occasion-based Customers snack as they watch TV (54%), socially at get-togethers (48%), when entertaining guests (43%), or celebrating a special occasion (40%).
Find out more about where to reach the right customers across the snacks category and more in our latest category collection here.
Watch the video here
Want to know all about the latest updates and features you’ll find in Partner Hub? We have listened to your feedback through the Voice of Supplier verbatims and we have made the following improvements.
Ever forgotten to hit the submit button after your image has been verified? In order to avoid delays in getting your products online we have introduced an automatic submission 48 hours after the verification is received to solve this common issue.
Furthermore, we have relabelled the hero and front image slot. The hero image slot will remain as a mandatory field allowing users to upload a 3D or 2D image. The hero image is the primary image presented to the consumer online.
Once the hero image is in verified status, the remaining slots and submit button will be enabled.
Minor Reviews as a review type are going to be phased out for Supermarkets and Metro in Partner Hub. This review type is to be replaced with a new type called ‘Refresh’ and will be available in the Range Review Calendar for reviews landing in F25.
Based on VOS and overall experience from Trade Partners, we have introduced search functionality based on Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). This feature has enhanced user experience and usability by streamlining the search process. Trade Partners can now search for pack details and related SPA's by entering the GTIN into the global search bar. The results will provide users with a list of Articles linked to the GTIN.
We are pleased to invite you to attend the Perfect Delivery Showcase, jointly hosted by Woolworths Group, Coles, Metcash, and the AFGC Trading Partner Forum.
The Perfect Delivery Showcase will take place on Tuesday 30th April from 9am3:30pm, and aims to improve industry awareness of core delivery requirements for products received into supermarket retail distribution centres.
This event will provide examples of best-in-class delivery practices, feedback from service providers and retail representatives on why they’re so important, and how to achieve them.
You can register for online or in-person attendance here.
We’ve made a change to the way Master Data is managed in the Grocery Food team to better align with our strategic goals, improve our data accuracy, and improve speed to market.
In the past, Category Assistants were the key contact for the entire data management process, but after a review, we’ve realigned duties to improve efficiency and better assist our Trade Partners with tailored support.
Moving forward, your key contacts in this process are:
I need help with...
I need to speak with my...
Your relationships with your Category Managers remain ever-important to maintain, but in peak periods, such as Range Review, we understand the need for greater availability of subject matter experts and dedicated support.
We’re aiming to increase your speed to market with this new process, with more hands on deck to reduce errors,
action changes, and improve decisionmaking with faster and more accurate data.
Grocery Trade Partners are encouraged to send us feedback about the new process, queries relating to images and articles, and updated contact details to csa@woolworths.com.au or call 0467 284 091.
We’re proud to once again be working closely with Share the Dignity this year to work towards addressing period poverty.
In March and August each year, Woolworths supermarkets across the country anchor donation boxes near the check-outs, so customers can choose to purchase and donate sanitary products for those in need.
Share the Dignity work to redistribute donated items to more than 3,000 charity partners, helping those who are experiencing or at risk of domestic violence, homelessness, or poverty to access these essential products.
To further the impact of this great cause, Woolworths is donating five cents from the sale of every period care product in March to fund Share the Dignity’s community work.
Since 2019, Woolworths has donated more than $2.7 million to Share the Dignity’s cause. These donations help provide grass roots support nationally, and have contributed to the installation of 108 Dignity vending machines, which dispense free packs of pads and tampons discreetly and free of charge.
A huge thank you to Essity, Kimberly-Clark, Church & Dwight, and Procter & Gamble who generously got behind the March Dignity Drive.
Learn more about our work with Share the Dignity
We are excited to announce the launch of Buddy, an innovative AI-powered communication tool that will enhance your experience with our non conformance recording tool, SCoRe.
Buddy is designed to provide personalised assistance and faster resolutions for highvolume, low-complexity non conformance cases, such as pallet wrapping issues, carton sealing issues, and poor print quality on labels.
Key Features of Buddy include:
1. Automated and personalised responses: Buddy leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to understand your queries and provide tailored responses.
2. Real-time support: Buddy offers realtime chat capabilities, allowing you to connect with our Supplier Capability team for any questions or support you may need.
3. Faster resolutions: Buddy is designed to streamline the resolution process for non conformance cases, leading to quicker outcomes.
For questions about Buddy AI, contact our team by emailing supplychainpartners@woolworths.com.au
new semi-automated Distribution Centre (DC), the Moorebank National DC, will be operational this financial year.
This exciting advancement enables us to build tailored pallets for the first time, giving stores the opportunity to customise product availability and range to their local market.
We anticipate this change bringing:
• Greater product availability and increased order accuracy.
• Faster restocking, more localised ranging, and improved customer satisfaction.
• Safer work environments, with more stable pallets and less manual handling.
• A 35% reduction in emissions, with 23,000 less truck movements annually, and provision for electric truck charging.
For our Trade Partners, we recognise that this transition may bring questions about how your products will be handled by the new automated systems, and what this means in terms of critical delivery requirements.
To provide you with guidance and support, Primary Connect have launched a Supplier Readiness Portal. Find all the details, resources and guides in one easy place, including:
• Important dates and updates.
• Key contact details.
• Automated DC overview videos.
• Communications and newsletter archive.
• Transition plan.
• Supplier readiness scorecard.
The Moorebank National Distribution Centre produces a monthly Supplier Readiness Newsletter, featuring the updates and advice you need to know as the operation draws closer. View the latest edition of this newsletter here.
Save the date for the fourth Showcase, presented online in partnership with our Packaging & Recycling and Healthier Choices Trade Partner Councils. Be inspired by the latest trends in packaging and health initiatives, hear case studies from our featured Trade Partners, and join us to celebrate our progress towards our 2025 sustainability commitments. Click here to register
You’re invited to join us online for the FY25 Business Update. Together, we’ll reflect on our learnings and successes in FY24, and share how these insights are shaping our strategy for FY25. Further details will be shared closer to the event.
